Jen and I have gotten about 95% of our shopping done and the wrapping wrapped up. I have to stop in tonight to return one thing and pick up a replacement for one of our other gifts, but after that’s done we should be set. We also have a midsize SUV reserved for the drive north to my parents’ place—between my awesome sister finding us furniture to bring home and the Christmas gifts, we should be driving to New York pimp-style with room to spare. It will also be a relief to not worry about the Tortoise blowing a gasket in mid-Pennsylvannia.

I spent about an hour putting together playlists on the iPod this weekend. There are 80’s, 70’s and 60’s playlists, an easy-listening playlist (for having folks over and enjoying mellow conversation—you don’t want your Public Enemy bum-rushing the show when it comes up in your 80’s playlist) and a driving playlist, which is about 350 hand-picked upbeat tunes from a wide variety of genres. I’m spinning that one right now, and it’s great.

Mmmmmmmmm, Pudding. Sunday afternoon Todd and Heather had us over with Nate and Kristen for an early dinner; Heather knocked herself out as usual (some people throw together a peanut butter sandwich for you—Heather throws together a frittatta, a tasty dish which most people can’t even pronounce) with a roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, beans, and wine. Damn good. After dinner Todd appealed to the inner boozehound in us all and busted out the apertifs, tempting us with tasty scotch, bourbon, and, well, more scotch. Todd, where were you Thursday night when we needed you?

Here are some selected pictures from the weekend.